-In the world in which the adventure takes place there exists a force called alchemy. Those who have the capability to use it can alchemize anything they want into something else. Though alchemy can do unimaginable things, there are two laws that govern it. The first being that you can only produce something with the exact same mass as the materials that you put in, this is called equivalent trade. The other law is that you absolutely cannot alchemize anything into a human. When brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric lose their mother at an early age they break the second taboo and try to bring her back to life. For this, Alphonse loses his entire body and gets his soul encased in a suit of armor. Edward loses an arm and a leg. After they recover, they begin a quest to regain their bodies by finding the legendary philosopher's stone, a device that has the ability to bypass the laws of alchemy and bestow upon the user limitless power. . . hi

 

 

 

What is Alchemy if FMA?

In Fullmetal Alchemist a major element in the story line is Alchemy, their science of changing one substance to another. Alchemy has three steps to perfrom a transmutation (a sucessful change of matter). The first step is understanding in which a person understands the molecular composition of an object. The second step is decomposition in which all bonds in the substance are broken through the use of alchemic energy and the final step is reconstruction in which those atoms are reconstructed into something new. Very good alchemists can also change the atom's element into somethign different too.


>Alchemic Light

There are various lights associated with transmutations. The first being yellow light. That is the most common amoung alchemists. Yellow light is associated with transmutations done through circles not on a person or on an article of clothing being worn. The second light is purple which occures when people do a general transmutation with a circle tatooed on them or on an article of clothing being worn. The third type of light is blue (Spoilers ahead highlight to read)

which only happens when an alchemist has seen "The Truth" beyond The Gate. The final light is red which shines when a person is doing alchemy powered by the real (or fake) Philsopher's stone (a.k.a bypassing The Gate altogether and supplying your own source for transmutation energy)

. Other colored light comes up when a person a proficient at one aspect of alchemy like flames does a transmutation (orange for being good at flames, green for being good with plants ect)


>Alchemy Array Components
As seen below each alchemy array is different but many of them incorporate real life symbols into them sheding light as to what their meaning might be. Below are some symbol that commonly appear in the transmutation circles and what they represent. Can you find which array uses them and how they relate to their function?

This represents fire	This represents fire	This represents earth
This represents earth	This also represents air	This represents creation
This represents death	This represents water

>Alchemy Arrays

Transmutation Circles are used by almost every alchmist to perform alchemy. They vary in shape and design. Many have idffering desings but have the same purpose. Though some circles do perform specific functions that other can not most of the circles pretty much allow the user the alter anything they have the power to change. The circles in red represent arrays that will only be done in blood. Below is an almost comlete list of the arrays seen in the series, check out the contest news on the home page to find out about the on going array contest. Also, none of the below images can be used on other websites without first gaining my permission. Thanks.

Spoiler, highlight to read: This array is used by Edward to seal Alphonse's soul to armor	Spoiler, highlight to read This Array is used by the military to bind Barry the Chopper's soul to armor	Spoiler highlight to read: This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor
Spoiler Highlight to read: This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor	This Transmutation circle is used by Alphonse to alchemize various things	Edward used this circle when he is young to alchemize anything
This array is the first used by the Elric Brothers	This array is seen during the National Alchemist qualifing exam to make a hydrogen baloon	Alexander Armstong uses this circle on his gauntlet to create projectiles. The array on his other hand is different, but only slightly
This Array is used by Fletcher Tringham to alchemize plants	Layla Uses this circle on her necklace to create a powerful showckwave	Two different versions of this array appear of this during the series. This is the most seen one. The array is used to create humans
The Theif Psiren uses this circle, tatooed on her chest, to manipulate water and cards	Spoiler Highlight to read: Ex-state Alchemist Tim Marco uses this in an attempt to kill lust by impaling her	This circle, appearing on Roy Mustiang's glove is used to create and manipulate flames
Russel Tringham uses this circle to alchemize walls and plants	Lujon uses this circle to try to cure the fossil disease	Spoiler Highlight to read: After Obtaining the philsophers stone, lujon uses this circle to cure fossil disease
The alchemist Majhal uses this array on his wristband to do many things	Spoiler Highlight to read : Dante uses this circle to control The Gate	Spoiler, highlight to read: This array is used to drain a homunculus of it's extra lives as well as paralyze it
Spoiler Highlight to read This circle is tatooed around Scar's Arm. It is used to created the Philsophers stone as well as break all the atomic bonds in an object	Kimbly's Circles are used to transmutate matter into unstable forms so that they detonate
Spoiler Highlight to read: This array is used to denote homunculus (humans created with alchemy, check episode three or four closely). This array also doubles as a means to alter the mind of a homunculus	Spoilers Highlight to read: Roy uses this array to weld King Bradley's celler door together, starting the final showdown.	The leader of the mercenary team uses a backpack that projects this array onto the ground surrounding him. The circle is used to create ball lightning.
General Gran uses this circle the change his metal glove into whatever he wants (guns and the like)	(Major Spoiler, Highlight to read) This is the circle Ed uses to bring Al back to life and to send himself to the other side of the gate	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras. A variant of this is used by the Military to create chimeras during the Ishball Massacre.
During the Rush Vally Auto-Mail Arm wrestling competition the referee uses this to breake the table on which the people play	One of the guards who guards the fifth Labratory during the Ishball Massacre has this to bind his soul to armor